Jean Paul Gaultier

Even without the mansard roofs in the background of these pictures, this collection has Jean Paul Gaultier's name written all over it. JPG, of course, is practically synonymous with symbols of French chic like the trench, the tailleur, and the little black dress, and for Resort, he's tweaked them in his familiar style. The bustier jacket of a pinstripe suit is sliced horizontally above the bust to reveal a bare expanse of shoulders, while the halter neckline of a corseted, cone-bra cocktail dress is made from the satin lapels of a tuxedo. Taking a detour through North Africa, he mixed in fluid harem pants worn with draped asymmetrical jersey dresses and Sahara-brown military suits that turn to reveal racy lacing up the back. The references were far more subtle than the ones he called upon at his recent catwalk show, and the collection was better for it.